I don't think it's NHRA's place to tell which races a part time team should or should not go to. Hypothetically speaking, if a team had a sponsor based in Minnesota, but the NHRA's telling them "you need to go to Topeka instead of Brainerd because Topeka only has 14 cars entered", that might end up costing that team a sponsor.team zizzo is a perfect example of a team that should be in contact with nhra to fill 16 car fields.
if you want to run indy great, but other races that may be a car or two short should work hand in hand with nhra to establish schedules
for the betterment of the sunday shows (live and tv)....... tony, i hope you guys find a good combination in Q. always enjoy seeing you run well.
In the past, NHRA would guarantee a payout to smaller teams to get them to show up...so this is not a new ideaI don't think it's NHRA's place to tell which races a part time team should or should not go to. Hypothetically speaking, if a team had a sponsor based in Minnesota, but the NHRA's telling them "you need to go to Topeka instead of Brainerd because Topeka only has 14 cars entered", that might end up costing that team a sponsor.
Just accept the fact that the occasional short field always has and always will be part of drag racing. Some races will have 13 cars, others will have 23, that's just how it is. I can show you videos from as far back as the early 80's where they were talking about "the XYZ Nationals only had 12 Top Fuel cars! Nitro racing is on its deathbed! The sky is falling!" Yet here we are 40 years later still moaning on and on about the same old doomsday topics, while in reality the drag racing world is still chugging along just fine.
as a once very good actor said in the movie, HEAT ........ 'that's the discipline' ...... yes, you go and run epping. you are a part timer. you don't get to pick.Mike,
You own a team that runs part time. You have the budget to run three times a year, you plan to run Gainesville Charlotte and Bristol. You have family and customers in that part of the country and what to run where they can come out and see you.
NHRA says, we want you to skip Gainesville and run Epping instead. What do you do?
Alan
as a once very good actor said in the movie, HEAT ........ 'that's the discipline' ...... yes, you go and run epping. you are a part timer. you don't get to pick.
or you get to pick 2, but the 3rd you do it for the team. you make an effort. and then maybe when you pull into gainesville, or indy, you get a decent pit parking spot,
because your efforts were recognized ........ just my .02. seems like everyone needs to contribute a little.
justin ashley has made the committment to be a full time racer with the nhra. with that sometimes come the spoils.Not arguing, just talking. What happens when your sponsor says he's not paying for Epping, because he wants to bring customers/guests to Gainesville. So he calls Justin Ashley and makes a deal to be an associate for that event to take care of his people. If it goes well, he will be probably be back with Justin in Charlotte and Bristol as well.
Alan
If you’re an independent team whose primary job is running a Mon-Fri business, running three races a year is contributing a lot. The question is how to get more small teams doing just that (maybe regionally). Over time, some of those will probably grow into full-time operations.as a once very good actor said in the movie, HEAT ........ 'that's the discipline' ...... yes, you go and run epping. you are a part timer. you don't get to pick.
or you get to pick 2, but the 3rd you do it for the team. you make an effort. and then maybe when you pull into gainesville, or indy, you get a decent pit parking spot,
because your efforts were recognized ........ just my .02. seems like everyone needs to contribute a little.
You sure about that? Short fields is far from a NHRA-only issue. NASCAR hasn't been able to get 40 cars for a race outside of the Daytona 500 for years now. And before that, they reduced the size of a "full field" from 43 to 40 because they couldn't get to 43 very often.other leagues and series have full teams/fields.......if nhra wants to look part time, go ahead, knock yourself out.
that gainesville sponsor mite just say, why am participating in a league with incomplete fields? i'll just hang my shingle on that indy car for a few races.
justin ashley has made the committment to be a full time racer with the nhra. with that sometimes come the spoils.
if my sponsor wants gainesville, then i'll do everything i can to appease them, but would make them aware that other races may have to be at
certain locations due to my part time nature.
other leagues and series have full teams/fields.......if nhra wants to look part time, go ahead, knock yourself out.
that gainesville sponsor mite just say, why am participating in a league with incomplete fields? i'll just hang my shingle on that indy car for a few races.
nobody misses 2-4 cars fighting for that last spot on saturday Q.
when you turn your tv on sunday, and see an empty lane, or the online article prints the results with bye rounds.
i just think it reflects poorly on nhra. maybe it doesn't. JMHO